This invention relates to an overwrap for sealing a container, and more particularly to container wrappers having an integral tear strip designed for sealing, for example, a "flip-top" cigarette box. The invention also relates to methods and apparatus for making such wrapper and forming the integral tear strips.
Overwraps for various packages such as cigarette boxes are well known and have been used for many years to seal and maintain the integrity and freshness of the packaged contents prior to opening. It is customary to wrap the cigarette box in an outer wrapper, which is usually made of polypropylene film. A tear tape is usually provided to facilitate removal of the outer wrapper. The tear tape is a separate strip of material bound to the inner surface of the overwrap, with a portion of the strip extending outside the wrapper to facilitate opening of the wrapper. The tear tape typically consists of a material of greater strength than the overwrap such that the overwrap tears when the tear tape is pulled from around the container, allowing the tear tape and overwrap to be removed from the box.
The use of a separate tear tape requires a process for binding the tear tape to the wrapper. This type of tear tape results in the additional cost of the second material. Additionally, prior art tear tapes could become separated from the wrapper, leaving the consumer frustrated, without any easy means of removing the outer wrapper from the box.
One popular type of container for cigarettes is the so-called "flip-top" box. A flip-top box typically has a lid which is hinged at the back side of the cigarette box. The lid of the box is cut such that the cut across the front wall of the box lid extends below the hinged portion across the back wall of the box, and the cuts in the side walls of the box are inclined upwards from the cut across the front wall to the hinge on the back wall. Tear tapes not following the shape of the cut would either require removal of at least one portion of the overwrap, resulting in lost freshness and reduced protection of the box's contents, or would cause the over-wrap to interfere with the operation of the flip-top box's hinge.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide improved outer wrappers for containers, with integral tear tapes.
It is another object of this invention to provide outer wrappers having integral tear tapes which conform to the parting line between the parts of the container to which the outer wrapper is attached.